The Department for Transport has decided on the route to be taken by the HS2 high speed rail line between Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds.

Above: The route – click on image to enlarge

The Phase 2 line will include a station in Sheffield city centre on a spur line, rather than the out-of-town Sheffiled station that had also been considered. This means knocking down the newly built Shimmer housing estate in Mexborough to make way for the new line.

Phase 2a will extend the route to Crewe. Phase 2b will take it on to Manchester and Leeds.

The hybrid bill that acts as the planning application for Phase 2a was put before parliament yesterday. The government plans to deposit the hybrid Bill for Phase 2b in Parliament in 2019 so that it can open in 2033.